Rural Generalist Profiles (page 2)

Rural Generalists are medical practitioners who are trained to meet the specific healthcare needs of Australian rural and remote communities. Here are profiles of Rural Generalists currently working around Australia and what the National Rural Generalist Pathway will mean for them.

Page last updated: 18 October 2018

Dr Molly Shorthouse

North East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

For Molly, working as a Rural Generalist offers a unique opportunity to apply her skills in Emergency Medicine, Primary Care, Mental Health and Management across a range of clinical environments, all whilst raising a young family. Molly gives insights into the challenges of holistic remote healthcare and how she handles the challenges, highlighting the importance of balance and self-care and the joys of living in some of the most beautiful parts of Australia.

Dr Emma Griffiths

Kimberley, Western Australia

The Rural Generalist Pathway will work for small remote communities as much as those closer to cities - and the additional skills required are likely to be different. Emma describes the challenge and satisfaction of combining an advanced scope of practice in Internal Medicine and Public Health with the breadth of Rural Generalism. Isn't the Kimberly fortunate!

Dr Matt Masel

Goondiwindi, Queensland

As a medical student Matt took on every opportunity to practice in a rural setting, so when it came time to choose a career, Matt and his wife Sue saw the sorts of skills the community needed and became Rural Generalists, settling in Goondiwindi. Matt describes his range of work as “womb to tomb”, a variety he greatly enjoys coupled with rural living. “Being part of a rural community was a new experience for me, and is also incredibly rewarding and enjoyable”.

Dr Talia Trigger

Surat and Roma, Queensland

Talia was supported to live her dream as a Rural Generalist in a remote town by a regional medical school and a supportive postgraduate training with Rural Generalist leadership living where she is working and training. She is also proof that when we network solo practices in with larger centres we create sustainable jobs and a better health service for all. The National Rural Generalist Pathway will be based in such regional networks and provide the support for the Talia’s of our future.

Dr Lawrie McArthur

Whyalla, South Australia

Rural Generalism provides such opportunity for variety and challenge over your career. Lawrie has adapted his broad training to the needs of patients in rural Australia and Nepal. The extended skills needed have changed over time. The National Rural Generalist Pathway can build on the growing number of Rural Generalists who include clinical academic leadership as part of their working week – a commitment to their patients now and, through their students, for the future

Dr Nola Maxfield

Bass Coast, Victoria

Rural Generalist practice can be such a fulfilling career. Nola is proof that teamwork is critical to long term thriving as a clinician and to high quality patient care. Patient safety is at the core of the National Rural Generalist Pathway, providing a sustainable high quality workforce that engages in local quality improvement. Nola rightly points out that the risks to patients of traveling to larger centres for extended care must be taken into account whenever a local service is reviewed.

Dr Louise Baker

Cowra, New South Wales

We have a wonderful cohort of Rural Generalist supervisors, highly skilled, encouraging, and living a full life. Louise has mentored many students and trainees into a Rural Generalist career and being part of a collaborative team of colleagues, whether in one town and practice, or over a number of towns, is a key to sustaining a great service and career.

Dr Ebonney van der Meer

Cooktown, Queensland

Ebonney is one of the faces of the future for trainees in the National Rural Generalist Pathway. Young women with a family, childhood life experience in rural communities, choosing to study medicine in a regional medical program, enthused to work rurally in a combination of GP, AMS and hospital work by a trusted rural mentor, staying regional for high quality postgraduate training, building clinical networks to overcome isolation, and developing an extended skill in mental health and addiction, perhaps the current areas of greatest shortage compared to need in our rural and remote communities. Cooktown is in good hands.

Dr Kathleen Atkinson

Broken Hill, New South Wales

The National Rural Generalist Pathway will provide a sustainable workforce for institutions like the RFDS. As Kath demonstrates, becoming expert in the use of telehealth, handling emergencies, and being trusted to work alongside people as they deal with complex chronic diseases, is as exciting as it is rewarding. Having doctors professionally recognised with this skill set will help all rural communities.